Manchester City and Liverpool have reportedly suffered a setback in their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen attacker Florian Wirtz.
The Germany international has been in fine form for Leverkusen this season, scoring 13 goals and contributing 18 assists in 38 competitive appearances.
Wirtz netted a brace and provided an assist in Wednesday's 4-0 win over Fortuna Dusseldorf in the semi-finals of the DFB-Pokal.
In addition to his cup exploits, Wirtz has helped Leverkusen reach the Europa League quarter-finals and establish a 13-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga.
Wirtz's impressive performances have led to speculation linking him with a move away from the BayArena, amid interest from the likes of Man City and Liverpool.
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However, according to HITC, Wirtz is set to remain with Leverkusen for at least another season, dealing a blow to Man City and Liverpool's hopes of securing his signature in the summer transfer window.
Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Real Madrid have also been mooted as potential destinations for Wirtz, but he appears to be determined to continue his journey with his current employers following Xabi Alonso's decision to remain in his role as Leverkusen boss.
Alonso had been linked with the manager's positions at Liverpool and Bayern, before he confirmed his intention to stay in his current job for the 2024-25 campaign.
Alonso will be keen to retain Wirtz's services, and the club are under no immediate pressure to sell one of their most prized assets, with the player's contract set to run until June 2027.
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Who else could stay at Leverkusen?
There is also a belief that the Bundesliga leaders are hoping to convince several other key players to remain at the BayArena for next term.
Wing-back Jeremie Frimpong is among those Leverkusen are determined to keep despite a recent report suggesting that Man City and Man United are showing an interest.
The German clubs are also looking to retain the likes of Piero Hincapie, Exequiel Palacios and Victor Boniface, with Leverkusen set to return to the Champions League next season.
Leverkusen's current focus will be on Sunday's away meeting with Union Berlin, where they will have the chance to move one step closer to their first-ever Bundesliga title.
